


The Fog Rolls In

by JaimeBlue



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adopted Children, Autism Spectrum, Bisexuality, F/M, Goodbyes, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Moving On, Moving Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-06-27 15:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15687885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaimeBlue/pseuds/JaimeBlue
Summary: Two years after Audrey's death, Percy moves out of the family home to something smaller.  As he makes a final tour of the house, he remembers his life with Audrey and their unexpectedly unconventional family, and is finally ready to say goodbye.





	The Fog Rolls In

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Fog Rolls In](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/406611) by Train. 



Stepping over the threshold, Percy's footsteps echoed in the empty living space that hadn't been so bare since he and Audrey had moved in nearly twenty years ago. His eyes still saw every work of art that had hung on the now bereft walls, and he knew by rote every book that had sat on the numerous empty shelves. Even though all trace of them was gone, this still felt like home.

His musings were interrupted by voices coming down the stairs. "We shouldn't read it," came a hushed voice. "Mother would be embarrassed."

"I'm sure Mum wouldn't mind. Look at this! She must've written this when she met Dad and-"

"Molly, I don't want to hear it."

Percy smiled as his daughters reached the bottom of the stairs. Lucy had a box under her arm full of smaller boxes, the last of what he had packed to take away to his new flat. Everything else in the house would be auctioned off before the new owners took possession. Molly's nose was lost in a book - as usual - but this one was well-worn and very familiar. "She would have wanted you to have it," he reassured them. "Both of you. There was so much she would have wanted to tell you-" He stopped as his voice choked up. It had been two years since they had lost Audrey, but at times it still felt like yesterday.

Molly and Lucy exchanged a glance as Percy tried to get a grip on his emotions. Molly was the first to step forward, placing a kiss on Percy's cheek and smiling to stave off the tears threatening to wet her own eyes. "We'll meet you at your new flat, Dad. Take as much time as you need to say goodbye."

Lucy nodded, though awkward as ever in the presence of strong emotions from others. Some in the extended family had wondered if she had mourned at all, but Percy and Molly knew better. Lucy had simply mourned in her own way. She gave a reassuring nod. "I promise I will try to keep Molly from organizing your office before you get there."

Percy chuckled and watched them close the door behind themselves. A moment later, however, he was faced again with the emptiness, but rather than breaking him, it drew out memories that were more than welcome, good and bad alike.

~*~*~*~

> Percy had first heard the voice as he came down the hallway toward the Ministry Archives. He remembered turning a corner and witnessing the dressing down of the current Junior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic for having incorrectly filled out forms requesting information on population statistics for the Hogsmeade region. He had smiled, watching the tall, wide-shouldered man wilt in the face of a formidable woman who couldn't have stood more than a meter and a half. Despite being quite shorter than he, she had managed to look down on him from over her spectacles, and despite how her hands gestured as she made her points, her dark hair remained perfectly coiffed with nary a strand out of place.
> 
> He would later tell her that it had indeed been love at first sight, even if he forgot it moments later when he was the one to be dressed down for returning archival documents a day late.
> 
> He never made another late return, but he did find himself checking out documents on a more regular basis, whether he needed them or not. He quickly discovered there was more to Muggle-born Audrey Noble than he had first seen - a kind heart that was often hidden under a veneer of professionalism, a sarcastic sense of humour that was a match to Percy's, and a remarkable love of wordplay and puns that had Percy both groaning and laughing at the same time. He eventually asked her to tea, and to dinner a week later.
> 
> From then on, even if his eyes might occasionally appreciate other women and men, his heart belonged only to Audrey.

~*~*~*~

Percy walked toward a nearby box, fingers lingering upon the cardboard as his stomach gave a shift. These were some of the items that would be auctioned off, and he felt guilty that things that had been touched by his wife would find new homes. He pulled a flap open and could match a piece of Audrey with every item. He took a shuddering breath and made himself close the flap.

He had gone through everything and taken out what he would need in his new flat - while he loved the house, it was simply too big and empty and full of memories - and Lucy and Molly had taken out what they wished to keep. The auction felt impersonal, but perhaps that was for the best because if it were up to Percy, he wouldn't be able to let go of anything at all.

~*~*~*~

> They had married in a small, private ceremony, neither of them wanting a large wedding. Standing with them in the courtroom were Audrey's Muggle friend Martha and Percy's brother George, with their parents watching from the side (for Molly Weasley would certainly have killed Percy had he gotten married without her there). Some in the family bristled when they discovered that Percy would be the one to take Audrey's name, thinking it another way to distance himself from the family even after he had gone to great lengths to make up for the mistakes of the past. His parents, however, understood even when his siblings did not - for there were going to be many generations of Weasleys in the wizarding world, but there would be no Nobles if Audrey were the last, and her heritage had as much right to be continued as the Weasleys did.
> 
> They had barely returned a week from their honeymoon in Iceland when the questions of children began, even if a pregnancy was off the table. Audrey had told him early in their relationship that she could not have children of her own, and there had been no question in Percy's mind that his love for her was greater than his desire to have biological children. They did, however, wish to adopt one day, and Molly Weasley reminded them of this at every opportunity. After another year, she finally wore them down - though by then, they were quite amenable to being worn down on the subject.
> 
> But first, they needed a home large enough for a family.

~*~*~*~

Percy stepped over to the fireplace and verified that the Floo had been turned off. The next occupants would be Muggles, and it wouldn't do to have a functioning Floo accidentally come to life while they were unpacking a crystal vase or antique china. He absently slid his finger along the mantelpiece, satisfied that there was no dust remaining. The mirror above the fireplace remained, however, and Percy spent a moment looking at himself and how he had changed over the years. Horn-rimmed glasses had been replaced by wire-rims, and he feared there was more grey than red in his receding hair, even if he had yet to see fifty. He remembered complaining about it to Audrey, only to have her pull a face and comment on how grey hair was considered distinguished on men, while on women, it simply looked old – something she often said to justify the regular appointments to have her hair coloured.

His eyes left his own reflection and flickered across the room, finally resting on the entrance to the library. He smiled and turned to head there, deciding he should verify whether any books had been left behind.

~*~*~*~

> They had both fallen in love with the house the moment they had stepped in, but the small library on the main floor, complete with built-in bookcases, was what had sealed the deal. They had their share of arguments on how to decorate - Percy preferring a simple palette and Audrey wanting to fill the home with colourful art - but they eventually met in the middle as they always did when they disagreed. Percy could arrange the kitchen as he wished, as he was the one who did most of the cooking, while Audrey had full control of the living room. The library, the upstairs bathroom, and the master bedroom would be a compromise, and the other bedroom would be laid out simply for guests, at least at first.
> 
> When everything was set up, Audrey had looked up at him with a quirked eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want to find someone else? Someone prettier and fertile, who would give you a half dozen bouncing babies, and stay at home to make you dinner without burning it?" They were questions she'd asked many times; at first they had come from great insecurity, but as their relationship grew stronger, they became a teasing joke between them.
> 
> As he often did, Percy made a show of thinking about it until she playfully smacked him on the arm. "Of course not." He pulled her into his arms, feeling in every way at home. "Even if someone else would smack me less." She gave him a look that he quickly interrupted by pulling her closer and kissing her.
> 
> "Welcome home," she sighed against his lips.
> 
> "Welcome home."

~*~*~*~

With one last wistful look, Percy left the library and went up the stairs. The bedroom he and Audrey had shared was to the left, and for a moment, he simply stood and saw the room as it had been for many years, remembering the love he had shared with his wife and the arguments that had kept them up at night, refusing to sleep while still angry at one another. Together, they had weathered some of the worst life had thrown at them: Percy's nightmares about Fred's death, Audrey's insecurities about being unable to have children, the news of Percy's father's death and that of Audrey's grandparents.

But this room had also seen some of the best of their time together: the gentle, comforting way they made love, several owls announcing the births of Percy's nieces and nephews, and eventually, Percy and Audrey smiling at each other in silence, listening to two voices carrying over from the second bedroom as their new daughters giggled in the middle of the night. He laughed as he remembered more than one occasion when the girls had run in to jump on the bed, waking he and Audrey in anticipation of a trip to Hogsmeade or Christmas at the Burrow.

It was also where he had spent his first night alone after the Healers at St Mungo's had told him there was nothing more they could do, and Audrey had died in his arms of an ailment that was beyond wizard or Muggle medicine. It had taken her so quickly that he could only thank the universe that he and the girls had been able to say goodbye before she was gone. The memory was still painful two years after the fact, but he was grateful for the pain and held it close; he knew from the experience of losing his brother that eventually the pain would dim, and as it did, the memories of the one he had lost would grow fuzzy around the edges until he struggled to remember more and more before they faded away.

He had a pang of guilt and regret, wondering if he could change his mind and refuse to sell the house, keep it and the memories intact... But no, Audrey would want him to keep going, to not get so mired in the past that he could not look to the future, and he knew enough to know that was what would happen if he stayed here. His daughters deserved more. He deserved more, and so did Audrey.

Tearing his eyes away from the room was the hardest thing he'd done so far, but he somehow managed. He closed the door behind him so that he would not be tempted to go back inside and never leave.

~*~*~*~

> Not many people realized just how long it took to adopt a child. Percy and Audrey hadn't until they'd begun looking into the process. There were so many things to consider that other parents didn't. _Was there a gender preference? Were they open to siblings? Were they open to older children or did they want a baby? Were they able to care for a child with special needs? Did they only want to adopt from the wizarding world, or Muggle as well?_ And then there were the questions Percy and Audrey spoke quietly to each other in bed. _What if they don't love us? What if they can't find a match? What if they don't think we'd make good parents? What if they're like Fred and George?_ (that last being less a concern and more a way for Percy to lighten their mood.)
> 
> In the aftermath of the war, there had been many children who had lost their parents and needed homes, but by the time Percy and Audrey were ready, most of them had found families. They had begun tentatively looking into the adoption system for Muggle children when Percy's parents had a brilliant idea. They consulted with Headmistress McGonagall and began something that would eventually become a standard procedure in the Ministry of Magic - keeping a database of children whose names had been written in the Book of Admittance cross-referenced with the Muggle fostering and adoption system, and ensuring professional links between the Muggle and Wizard departments (liaisons between the two worlds becoming more and more common in the post-war world). Several 'Muggle' children were found that indeed would one day be invited to Hogwarts, and Percy and Audrey had hope once again of having their family.
> 
> The Muggle authorities were tentative at first, but many doubts were allayed when Percy and Audrey eagerly submitted to any and all checks and interviews that were required. In many ways, they were excellent test subjects for the new system, as Audrey was Muggle-born, and both of them were professionals with steady work and a large home. The paperwork processed quickly, and after a wait that felt longer than it was, they could begin meeting children that would be good matches.
> 
> It was on their third visit that they met two little girls that immediately stole their hearts. Molly was six, a happy child with dark hair who, despite not being born a Weasley, reminded Percy so much of his mother that he swore it could not have been coincidence that they shared a name. Lucy was three, with a serious face that looked up at Percy and Audrey from under light brown bangs. Molly had put a protective hand on Lucy's shoulder, her smile dimming as if preparing to be disappointed.
> 
> "She's not odd," Molly said defensively, as if she'd had to speak them far too often for a child of her age. "She's just different."
> 
> Audrey smiled and crouched down, offering her hands to little Lucy but not touching her. Lucy prodded the fingers before her, familiarizing herself with them, before finally gripping three of Audrey's fingers in a semblance of a handshake. Lucy smiled.
> 
> "How would you like to get to know us better?" Audrey asked.
> 
> "It would be our honour to get to know you," Percy added, offering a hand to Molly, who took it with a smile returning to her eyes.
> 
> "Do you have a dog?" she asked hopefully.
> 
> Percy chuckled. "No dog. But.. would an owl do?"
> 
> Both girls' eyes widened. "You have an owl?" they spoke in unison.
> 
> Percy and Audrey shared a grin. Yes, this would work out just fine.

~*~*~*~

Opening the next door, a part of Percy, the logical part, told him he should have repainted the girls' room in anticipation of the new inhabitants, but he didn't have the heart to do so. Over the years, Molly and Lucy had made their marks on the four walls, with paint and magic and much creativity. One wall had become a large mural telling the story of... something colourful and full of anthropomorphic animals that he and Audrey hadn't quite understood, but seemed meaningful to the girls. There were marks here and there from where various posters and pictures had been affixed and removed very recently – the room had changed little after the girls finished school and moved out on their own, for they would always have a place at home.

The one thing he had done was go around and make certain that there were no active spells – again, because the buyers were Muggles. It had been quite the task as Lucy and Molly had grown to be accomplished witches who often practised in the privacy of their room. This was where Molly had cared for injured animals and discovered an aptitude for healing. This was where Lucy came when the world felt overly stimulating and she needed to get back to herself by transfiguring teacups in silence. This was where Percy and Audrey took turns telling the girls bedtime stories long past the age of doing so, but keeping the tradition so that the girls knew they were always loved.

He doubted he could express just how much he loved them even if he had a million years to do so. They were little miracles, a chosen family that fit better than anyone could have imagined.

~*~*~*~

> Molly and Lucy had been a perfect match, and though life wasn't perfect, the four of them quickly became a family. The girls learned about magic and wizards, and that they might be witches one day, but were almost as excited about the simple fact that they would be allowed to decorate their shared room. It wasn't long before traces of the two girls could be found throughout the entire house, from a painted handprint on the kitchen cupboard to children's books in the library.
> 
> The Weasleys welcomed the newcomers with open arms, the elder Molly taking particular joy in her accidental namesake, and George and Ron intent on teaching the girls about everything they assumed Percy and Audrey would not, such as quidditch and pranking and stories about Uncle Fred. There were times when it seemed Lucy would be an outsider much like Percy had been, as she had a habit of taking people far too literally, was uncomfortable with long hugs and touching, and would startle people by hitting her thigh too hard when she was frustrated or mad at herself. Percy, however, would often share stories of when he was young and different from his siblings, and along with Audrey and overprotective Molly, would reassure Lucy that she was loved and accepted as she was, and ensured she always had someplace to go when everything felt to be too much.
> 
> Audrey's parents doted on the girls, for she had been an only child and Lucy and Molly were the only grandchildren. There was never a shortage of volunteers for babysitting, though Audrey didn't want to overly take advantage of her parents' generosity. The girls, however, grew up knowing they had homes in both worlds, and even though they didn't remember their birth parents, spending time at the Nobles' home allowed them a link to their past.
> 
> There were times late at night when Percy and Audrey would wonder aloud at how their quiet home had grown so full of noise, and though they often missed the quiet, they would not trade the girls in for anything.

~*~*~*~

The kitchen had been Percy's favourite room in the house – something he shared with his mother – and so he had left it for last in his list of rooms to check over. He had initially fallen in love with the counter space and had spent much time standing there with his daughters, teaching them to cook (where Lucy excelled) and bake (where Molly excelled). The window over the sink had a well-worn edge from the arrival and departure of many owls, from messages to family and Daily Prophets, to the highly anticipated Hogwarts invitation letters and letters from the girls at school (he remembered his joy at Molly's announcement that she had been sorted into Gryffindor, and his bewilderment at Lucy's tale of being sorted into Slytherin).

This room had also seen a lifetime's worth of announcements and revelations, such as Molly's summer home from Hogwarts where she stated she'd kissed a girl and didn't like boys the same way other girls did, or Lucy's matter-of-fact telling of how she had sex with a boy from school just to see what all the fuss was about and found she didn't care for it at all (and would be quite happy never to touch another person, boy or girl, for the rest of her life). Percy and Audrey had always told the girls they could talk to them about anything, yet when it happened, it was far more challenging to hear than they had anticipated. They never let on, though, and were nothing but loving and supportive in the kitchen, only allowing their bewilderment and anger at heartbreaking lovers in the privacy of their bedroom.

~*~*~*~

> It had been hard to let go as the girls grew older and went to school, but nowhere near as hard as when they decided to move out on their own. Lucy was the first to move out, having landed a job at Gringotts where the goblins found her eccentricities to be a refreshing change from most witches and wizards. Molly moved out a few years later after finishing her full healer's training at St Mungo's, with a witch named Donna whose young son, Malachi, had been one of Molly's early patients.
> 
> Both young women were happy and doing well in life, and Percy and Audrey had a short period of empty nest syndrome. Their daughters visited frequently, however, and the feelings passed, allowing them to refocus on their own lives and interests. Audrey had taken to gardening, and had planted an apple tree in the backyard that she poured all the love and attention that she used to lavish on her daughters. Percy had gone back to his memories during the war with Voldemort, and decided to write a book telling a story he had yet to see in the various takes on that time – the story of those working for the Ministry, still loyal to the institution but caught in the middle when evil took over. Where once his writing had mostly been dry and technical, the years had brought with them a greater ease with words that showed as he wrote about things that had taken him years to think about without fear.
> 
> His life was upended when he one day found Audrey unconscious in the backyard, hands still dirty from working in soil. He had rushed her to St Mungo's where her condition had confused the healers at first, but the rare ailment was finally discovered after some testing, and the healers kept trying to heal her. He rarely left her side, only stepping away when Molly and Lucy came to take over, none of them wanting Audrey to wake up alone. Her condition deteriorated fast, and three months from the day he found Audrey in the backyard, he and their daughters said goodbye to her for the last time.
> 
> Molly and Lucy stayed at his side to help with funeral arrangements and dealing with well-meaning Weasleys who came to simultaneously offer condolences and try to lift spirits. It didn't always work, and more than once, Percy had left the living room in tears when George had jokingly talked about Audrey meeting Fred. He knew his brother meant well, but he wasn't yet ready to see anything humorous in the world.
> 
> Percy took a sabbatical from work of several months, spending some days alone in the large house, and others with family. There were even occasions where he fell asleep on a sofa at one of his daughters' flats, their having comforted him to sleep much as he had them when they were younger. The greatest help had been his mother Molly, who had lost Arthur a few years earlier and had fresh experience with widowhood.
> 
> After several months, he went back to work and took every day at a time until the silent house could no longer be stomached. It was time to move on.

~*~*~*~

Percy exited the back door and locked it behind him. His hand lingered on the wood, saying a silent goodbye, before he turned away. There was one last thing he had to do before leaving.

He walked over to the apple tree, still young but showing great promise for growth. He took up the watering can and filled it with water, then approached the tree. So much of Audrey's love had nourished the tree, but that was not the only part of her that did so – some of Audrey's ashes had been mixed in with the soil surrounding the roots.

“Goodbye, my love.” As he poured the water, the setting sun glinted on a nearby apple as if shining in response. “The girls are happy and doing well, but we still miss you.”

He put the empty can aside and brushed a bit of dust off a nearby leaf. “I hope you and Fred are having a good laugh at my sentimentality. Give him my love, and for Merlin's sake, don't eat anything he tries to feed you.”

He inhaled deeply, taking one last, long look at the garden before taking out his wand. Then before he could change his mind, he Apparated away.

~*~*~*~

Percy appeared in Diagon Alley outside a building a block away from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Where once it had been a two-floor building, it had since gained three more floors for flats. It was near the Ministry entrance as well as Molly and Lucy's workplaces, which gave him plenty of excuses for visits (not that he needed any).

Best of all, and the deciding factor for Percy, was the cafe downstairs that had the most delightful baked goods that would surely threaten his waistline. He stepped inside to order a few cups of tea and a dozen beignets, thinking that his family surely deserved some sort of recompense for helping him with the move. Hands full, he turned down a small side alley and entered an unassuming door that led to the stairs that would take him to his new home.

He nearly fumbled his offerings trying to open the door, but before he could drop a cup of tea, the door opened before him. He froze.

“Oliver?” He squinted a moment and looked at the number on the door. Had he come to the wrong flat? But here was Oliver Wood, whom he hadn't seen since over a year ago when he'd come to dinner at the Burrow with George and his family, and had spent some time with Percy reminiscing on their school days, a welcome reprieve from well-meaning but pushy family members trying to cheer him up. He opened his mouth to say something further when a voice came from inside.

“Is that Dad?” It was Molly – definitely his flat. “Tell him I'm not the one who organized his bookshelves this time!”

“Don't blame it on Donna, I saw you opening the box earlier.” And that was Lucy. He couldn't help but smile fondly at their voices.

“Here, let me take some of those,” Oliver said with a grin, reaching out to take two cups of tea. “I hope you don't mind. I heard the girls from my flat down the hall and thought I'd give them a hand.”

“Not at all.” He welcomed the helping hand and followed Oliver inside. Malachi came running out of a room – the study – with a book in his hands, showed it to Molly, then after a whispered word returned to the study. Donna was unpacking the dishes, wiping each with a cloth to rid them of any dust before placing them in the cupboards. Molly still had Audrey's journal in her hand, while her other held her wand, charming the broom and dustpan into cleaning the floors. Lucy was in the process of enlarging boxes that contained Percy's clothing and levitating them into the bedroom. “Though Merlin knows how you weathered this whirlwind. I come with tea!”

Soon, everyone was gathered in the kitchen – smaller than that of the house but still capable of holding all of them comfortably. The tea and treats disappeared quickly, and conversation moved from the kitchen to various parts of the flat as the unpacking continued. After a couple of hours, though there was still much to be done, Percy started shooing everyone away for the evening. First went Lucy, who had to work early the next morning, then Molly and her brood.

That left Oliver, who had blended effortlessly into the family hustle and bustle. Percy walked him to the door, needing some time alone after the long and emotionally draining day. “You didn't have to help, but I'm glad you did. I admit I feel a little outnumbered on occasion.”

“What are old friends for?” Oliver replied with a grin that had rivalled his quidditch skills in terms of attracting fans. The man had changed a little from their shared adolescence, but all for the better. “If you need anything, I'm in 4F down the hall.”

Percy was about to shake his head and say thanks but no thanks, fully expecting another year before they saw each other again, but something had him stop himself. “Well,” he began tentatively, “I can always use a friend to go out with from time to time. Does the Leaky Cauldron still have weekly specials on dragon bites?” He hadn't been often, but he'd quite liked the spicy appetizers the last time his brother Charlie had dragged him out for a drink.

Oliver nodded. “Yeah, and they've gotten a handful of new craft beers to try. There's a magical one from Edinburgh that fills your head with the sound of bagpipes while you swallow, but it tastes better than it sounds.” His former roommate was over the threshold now, and looked over at Percy with an enthusiastic and hopeful look to his eyes. “Perhaps we could go tomorrow night?”

“All right, tomorrow.”

They said their goodbyes and Oliver turned to head back to his place. Percy's eyes followed him, casually appreciating the way his shirt fit over his toned, wide shoulders. It had been a long time since Percy had last allowed himself the simple decadence of admiring a person's appearance, had taken him two years before he could do so without feeling he was betraying Audrey.

He closed the door and faced his flat, empty of company but comfortable. He imagined Audrey looking down on him, nodding in approval and sitting on a sofa with George, a bowl of popcorn between the two of them as they waited to see where Percy's life would go next.

He didn't know yet, but an evening out with Oliver was a good place to start.

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by "The Fog Rolls In" by Train for the HP Drizzle Challenge. While the lyrics of the song are more about a breakup, they led my mind in another direction entirely that I'm quite pleased with.
> 
> I'd like to thank the HP Drizzle Mod and my boyfriend A. for being wonderful and supportive beta-readers.
> 
> Would also like to thank the Challenge for being there to help spark a bit of creativity - I haven't written much of anything in a very long time, and this was just the kick in the arse I needed.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing.


End file.
